Pine, Red
At a Glance
Latin Name: Pinus resinosa
Other common names: Red pine, Norway pine, hard pine, pitch pine
Zones: 2-6
Mature Height/spread: Red Pine is a coniferous evergreen tree characterized by tall, straight growth of 50-100 ft high and 30 ft wide with a trunk diameter of one to three ft. Fast grower for the first 60 – 70 years.
Climate: Full Sun-This species is intolerant of shade but does well in windy sites.
Soil: Red pine does well in a variety of soils and climates, native to the Northeastern United States, from Pennsylvania to Canada and west into parts of Michigan.
It grows best in well-drained sandy soils. Red Pine is a long-lived tree, reaching a maximum age of about 500 years.
Notes: The wood is commercially valuable in forestry for timber and paper pulp, and the tree is also used for landscaping. It has sharp-pointed needles, 2 needles per fascicle, needles roughly 5″ long. The pollen-bearing male flowers arrive in mid-spring (which are red in color) fertilize the immature female buds. Red Pine seeds are egg shaped. The bark is orange-red and flaky. Red Pine makes up most of the wooden telephone poles in Michigan. Common to lose some needles in fall.
Wildlife: Seed is eaten by wood duck, turkey, bobwhite, pheasant, pileated, and many other woodpeckers.
Winter food source for wildlife
Seedling Purchase Size: 4-8 in.
USDA NRCS Species Information